Have there been any good reg'lar ol' "text adventure" games released any time lately? I don't mean artistic exercises in experimental interactive fiction, I mean TEXT ADVENTURE. You know. Go north, pick up blue key, go south, put card in slot, open door, get treasure? Like that?

Dude, Dude! (Now that I've exposed my absolute dorkiness by saying "Dude"...) *Ahem* So glad you asked, Ben. Just got finished playing a game that fits your bill: The House of the Midnight Sun (a Z-machine game). Download it from the author here: http://www.johnson46.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/cd.htm

!!!

(breathe deep)

Actually, yeah, I found House to be very enjoyable: not too easy, not too hard. Puzzles are largely local i.e. find something to get you into the next section of the game, use it in the appropriate manner, and then most likely you won't need it again.

Hmm, let's hope you haven't played it before; the author says it was based on an earlier game of his which he wrote in 1983 (called Castle Dracula); I think this is why it's got such a strong "classic text adventure" feel.

Just about everything is richly described, and examining everything is the primary way of finding clues.

I think the verbose descriptions come with the territory of being a horror-genre game, and I'm glad for that, because they're well-written (except for the occasional annoying sentence fragment).

Wow, thanks Looper! That's a great recommendation! It sounds like just what I am looking for. I miss those "old-timey text adventures", you know? Actually, I should probably just go back and play some of the Infocom games, now that I think about it, since I never did finish any of them... :( Except I think I lost my Infocom CD!! :( :( :(

Anyway, I am going to go check out this game as soon as I get home!

(ICJ: Sorry I am using this base to talk about non-Hugo text adventures. I just thought a text-adventure thread was more appropriate here than anywhere else. I would be happy to move it to another base if you wanted to.)

Three days. I give you three days before you revert back to the Pinback of old. This is the last I will say on the subject, as I am getting tedious. But three days. It's killing you to post like this, just like it's killing me.

Text adventure discussion is on-topic for this forum. And probably any base in this BBS. I say this not to you, because you are intentionally trying to get me going, but in case there is anyone else out there lurking who is wondering if you are being sincere or not.

The further you increase your grip on this refreshing and optimistic way of looking at life, Pinner, the more negative people such as myself slip through your fingers._________________the dark and gritty...Ice Cream Jonsey!

I really cannot say how much it troubles me that you're upset by this. Is there anything I can do? We need to think of some way of dealing with this, because there will be no "three day deadline" I'm sorry (well, not really!) to say.

Can you just try it my way for a couple days? Maybe that would be a good way of resolving this! This is an adventure base, right? Join me in this adventure, for, hey, for three days, and see if your whole world doesn't change for the better.

Well, you know, I do feel like I should at least release one IF-related product to the world in 2003, so Jonsey, I hope that even though you are so far unable to accept my new attitudes, you will still be available for me to ask Hugo questions of. I respect you for many things, and your Hugo expertise is definitely one of them.

I imagine any new project I started would be over before it started if I didn't think I could count on you for help.

Well, you know, I do feel like I should at least release one IF-related product to the world in 2003, so Jonsey, I hope that even though you are so far unable to accept my new attitudes, you will still be available for me to ask Hugo questions of. I respect you for many things, and your Hugo expertise is definitely one of them.

Yes, this goes beyond your little performance art here. Any way I can help, I will.

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I imagine any new project I started would be over before it started if I didn't think I could count on you for help.

You *should* make a new game. That would be awesome.

For what it's worth, I've got your "Motherplucker" song in rotation amongst my MP3s here at work, and you just indirectly got a nice compliment a few moments ago from a co-worker regarding it. Are you planning on making any more excellent and quality music that is better than what's on the soundtrack to Blade Runner, Ben? Because you have a real calling with that.

I wish you wouldn't call it that. That's not what it's about. But I guess we don't need to get into it in this base too. Sorry everyone. Maybe once my new website is up, it will be easier for you to understand.

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indirectly got a nice compliment a few moments ago from a co-worker regarding it.

Well, tell them "thank you", indirectly from me! What a nice thing to hear!

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Are you planning on making any more excellent and quality music that is better than what's on the soundtrack to Blade Runner, Ben?

Oh, I don't know if you could call it all THAT, but thank you anyway for the compliment. Yes, I will no doubt get back to my music once I've accomplished all of my self-actualizing goals. Things are going well, but I'm not done yet!

The biggest problem with the IF game "Tubby and the Quest for His Lost Shoes" was that while Tubby hasn't seen his shoes for twenty years, everyone else CAN see them, so the game ends in about ten minutes. What a jip!